can you hear the silence?

My favorite part about snow is the stillness. Last week when I took the kids out to play in it, we just laid in the yard and listened to the silence. I don't know if the snow absorbs noise or what, but it just seemed so peaceful; the peace was interrupted by a screaming 3 year old who accidentally put her face in the frozen goodness and realized how cold it was, but until that point it was really nice. I love me a good snow picture because you can almost hear the silence. Don't know if this is a good snow picture or not, but I needed to even things up around here as far as pictures go. For all of the concerned grandmothers following the blog, he literally only had his gloves off for one minute for this shot. Long enough for me to place him there, run away, snap it, and carry him back to the car!

GK Willhelm, Custodial Engineer

Graham is really partial to our dust mop. If the laundry room door is open, he does everything he can to get in and snatch that thing. Here he is practicing for his future career. Him wearing this shirt was just a fluke--didn't plan it that way but it is funny...a present from his uncle Jon and his future Aunt Jess. Jon said his only regret was not getting the shirt that said, "I cry when ugly people hold me." If you know Graham, you know he cries when other people try to hold him. Except for me. Hmm...nah, the shirt can't be right.

fashion diva

I've always heard about those kids who wear those hideous outfits that don't match, two different colored socks, etc all because they were allowed to pick them out by themselves. Who in their right mind would allow their child to pick out his or her own clothes? I have always been so glad that Evie wears pretty much whatever I put on her. She has always worn a hat if I've put it on her; she always loves the shoes I put on her; I fight with her more on why she can't have McDonald's cinnamon melts for lunch than I do about her wardrobe. Well it must've been an age thing. Yesterday after her bath, I told her to run and pick out some panties before she watched Curious George. She came back with a dress that Grandma W had made for her last summer. This is the first time this has ever happened. She was adamant about wearing this sundress despite the frigid temperatures outside. So since we weren't going anywhere, I let it be and stuck some leggings under the dress so I wouldn't have to keep shivering when I looked at her. She wasn't cold, but it made me feel better. This morning she came to me with the same dress, but since we were going out I had to convince her she needed sleeves. I have a feeling she is about to enter the stage of picking out her own clothes. And I'm about to become one of those parents who thinks it is cute that she doesn't match, because she picked it out herself! Here she is on her first day of having a fashion opinion.

Five Years

It blows my mind to think tomorrow Greg and I will have been married 5 years. I know that's not a long time, but in dog years that's 35 years. Where has the time gone? It seems like only yesterday we were sitting in the big chair together, and now we are vying for space in our own bed. After 3 and a half years straight of waking up at 6:00 day in and day out (teach me how to get your kids to sleep in!), we both look a little older. But there is no one I'd rather grow old with. Happy Anniversary, Greg! (I'm a fan of throw back photos, so brace yourself).



I'm trying to imagine if someone would've shown Greg the following picture 15 years ago and told him this was the woman he was going to marry. Good thing that didn't happen. With genes like these, it is truly amazing that our kids are as cute as they are!



And just for the heck of it--future love birds ;)

two monkeys

I gave a few picture gifts this Christmas (imagine that), and so I have neglected to show these pictures on my blog since I wanted my gift recipients to be completely surprised. Except that it really was no surprise at all :) Gift pictures are in color. The outtakes are in black and white.










outtakes...

'tis the season

...for sharing. Today Greg and the kids made cookies. Well, I'm just guessing that Greg made the cookies and the kids ate cookie dough. Tonight Evie was eating a cookie at the table and got up from her chair, came into the living room and said, "share a cookie with me mommy." I got up and said, "ok, let's go eat it." Then she pointed me in the direction of the cookies on the counter and said, "No, share your own cookie" in her sweetest 3 year old voice. Greg and I both laughed. It's funny what she considers sharing. :)

The mind of a 3 year old

Evie has said some really funny things. Here is a good example: this summer we stopped at the drive thru at Wendy's many times on our way to the pool (thanks Beka for the key)...mommy has to have her coke, you know. It was then that Evie discovered the joy of mandarin oranges. One day I asked her what she wanted as we pulled up to the speaker, and she said, "guy oranges." I knew what she wanted, but I was just so confused as to why she thought they were called guy oranges. Then as we pulled away I laughed outloud as I figured out how she came to that. (you probably already figured it out, but another name for a man is a guy). Today she said another funny such thing. She asked me while we were playing in the snow if we could make a snowman. I knew this fresh powdery snow was no good for a snowman, so I told her this snow is not sticky enough. It just doesn't have any stick to it, and we probably won't be able to make a snowman today. A little while later, she is doing this (first picture below). She picked up this stick with such excitement and said, "Now we can make a snowman!" Again, I had to think...but I figured out what she meant. She thought I meant we need a stick to make a snowman. Kids!









Just a few from this week:
Evie is suddenly very interested in hygiene. Here she is doing something or other with her teeth, and G train can almost always be found sharing the step stool. Usually you know that's what's going on b/c she is yelling for me to get him off!


The one place Graham cannot get to (yet):


And just because he's so handsome (even with a drooly dirty shirt), and because he couldn't go in the snow today since he had a little fever: